aug 6, 1965 - Voting Rights Act of 1965 Passed

Description:

This act banned literacy tests as a requirement for voting, mandated federal oversight of voter registration areas, and made the obstruction of another's right to vote a federal crime. This act dramatically increased black participation in government; in Mississippi alone, the percentage of blacks registered to vote rose from 5% in 1960 to 60% in 1968, the number of black elected officials in the South rose from 70 to 5000, and the number of blacks serving in congress went from 6 to around 40. (Change: black participation in government) (Effect of event: black participation in government)

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